If you are you studying abroad through an OSA approved program, all in-person courses will automatically come back as general elective credit towards your 120-hour requirement needed to graduate. You are required to enroll in a minimum of 12 US credit hours of in-person coursework while studying abroad. Any additional virtual or asynchronous coursework must be approved by your academic department for credit at Tulane.
Some departments have pre-approved courses abroad and provide equivalency information to our office. This list is provided for convenience but note that this is not an exhaustive list of courses you can take on your program. Consult your academic department for approval of additional courses or if you have questions about major requirements.
How Does The Credit Transfer Process Work?
Credits earned in-person on an NTC study abroad program are automatically listed as general elective credit on your Tulane transcript for courses taken within business, architecture, liberal arts, public health, and science & engineering fields. Courses will appear on your transcript with the program course title, grade, number of credits, the Tulane departmental prefix and an OSA course number (i.e. 1290, 5190, 5380, or 5390).
If you would like to receive major, minor, or NTC core credit for courses taken abroad, you must request departmental credit from the department’s study abroad approver and have them complete the OSA Course Equivalency Form once you return from study abroad. We recommend meeting your major advisor prior to your departure to discuss what content a course should have in order to function as a Tulane equivalent.
Course Equivalency Forms are not processed until you return from study abroad. Please note that we cannot post course equivalencies until we receive your final transcripts from your program or host university.
The new course equivalency form will be released in early January 2025
Students should save all course materials (e.g. syllabi, papers, exams), in order for courses to be evaluated for departmental credit. If your courses were not taught in English,, you may need to translate course materials in order to submit them for credit transfer.
Students should consult these Major and Minor guides for departmental guidance on seeking major/minor credit.
How do I Receive Credit for the NTC Core Curriculum or Service Learning?
Core Curriculum: If you would like a study abroad course to fulfill an NTC Core Curriculum Requirement, you must fill out this petition form. Some study abroad courses have already been pre-approved to fulfill NTC Core Curriculum requirements. Students may check this SPREADSHEET (link available January 2025) to see if their courses have been pre-approved.
Service-Learning: Students who have completed service-learning experiences through their Tulane-approved study abroad program can petition to determine if they fulfill the Tulane public service graduation requirement. More information and the petition form can be found HERE.
Where should I send my Transcripts?
Transcripts from approved study abroad programs should be sent via email to crystal@tulane.edu or to the attention of Joanie Vicknair at the following address:
Tulane University Center for Global Education
6901 Willow St, 2nd Floor
New Orleans, LA 70118 U.S.A.
How Long Does This Process Take?
The process to transfer credit from your study abroad program to your Tulane record may take up to four months, depending on the host institution. Students planning to graduate the semester of or immediately after their study abroad should take this into consideration and may need to delay graduation.
How Do I Receive my Grades from Abroad?
Grades students earn while studying abroad will appear on their Tulane transcript but will not be calculated into their cumulative GPA. This policy does not apply to Tulane faculty-led summer programs, or to courses completed during study abroad exchange programs offered through the Freeman School of Business. Students should complete a program evaluation in order to receive their grades from abroad.
